Rev. Dr. Rhonda Royal Hatton is a ministry leader, actress, playwright, director, poet, storyteller, inspirational speaker, teacher, author & entrepreneur. Born and raised in Camden, New Jersey, to the late Ulysses Royal Jr. and the late Pastor Brenda Best Royal Warren, she is the eldest of five children.

As a teenager, she founded the theater group, Gifts of God. The drama troupe traveled the South Jersey/Philadelphia area performing “Intoxication: Don’t Get High: Give Jesus A Try!”, an inspirational play focused on saying “no” to drug misuse and domestic violence. Upon graduating from Camden High, she attended Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga. She continued performing and developing the Gifts of God: Atlanta Chapter.

Upon moving to North Carolina, Rhonda matriculated at North Carolina Central University and earned her B.A. in Theater Education. She has served as a fourth-grade elementary school teacher, middle school creative writing instructor and a middle and high school drama teacher. She is the founder and Artistic Director of Royal Priesthood Performing Arts, Inc., a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit performing arts foundation that has produced skits, main stage gospel plays and women’s empowerment conferences.

She acquired her Masters of Church Ministry degree from Duke Divinity School with a Certificate in Christian Education. She has matriculated at several Lutheran Seminaries, furthering her theological studies, in Philadelphia, South Carolina & North Dakota. She received her Doctor of Theology from Bible Institutes of America Theological Seminary in Raeford, NC and a Doctor of Ministry from Rhema Theological Seminary in Durham, NC. She is the founder and President of Royal Theological Seminary at Durham. An internationally traveled missionary, she has done missions work in Africa & Brazil.

She is an award-winning orator and spoken word artist. She co-founded and facilitated an open mic, “Living Words” for six years as an outreach endeavor in the community of Durham. She served as the Lutheran Campus Minister to North Carolina Central University for nine years. She has published two books of poetry, “Revelations: A Book of Ministerial Monologues and Prophetic Poetry" and “Sanctuary: A Book of Inspirational Writings and Prophetic Poetry.” She is a contributing author to the collaborative book, “Reflections: Life Changing Moments A Devotional” published in 2013 and “Destined 2 Win” Volumes 1-7 published in 2021-2025. She is currently working on her freshman spoken word album to be released in 2026.

Rhonda is the founder and pastor of Celebration Ministries, Lutheran Church in Durham, NC. She is also the founder and Presiding Bishop of Royal Priesthood Fellowship of Churches in which she mentors and provides spiritual guidance for other ministry leaders and their churches.

She is a proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. and has been married for 34 years to Bishop Ian Hatton and they have two beautiful daughters. Rhonda has received several awards and recognition for her academic achievements and community involvement over the years.

Jevata Crawford is the author of Moving in Place and founder of Project MOVE, a transition-focused practice supporting individuals and families through moves, downsizing, and life changes. Her work sits at the intersection of organization, lived experience, and social insight, reframing moving as more than a physical event — but a moment of personal transition.

Jevata creates awareness so people recognize when they are in a life transition — what she calls “a move” — reclaim decision authority, and choose their next step with clarity. Through her MOVING Method™, she brings language and structure to moments that often feel overwhelming, helping audiences pause, see where they are, and move forward with intention.

Known for her grounded presence and thoughtful perspective, Jevata’s work invites people to release what no longer serves them and step into their next chapter with confidence and purpose.

Where do I begin! I got started on my wellness journey back in 2015. It started with wanting to live healthier and improving my mental health. I started a plant based diet, started working out, cut out alcohol and started changing the company I keep. While all of those things were great I know that there was some deeper work I needed to do. In 2017 I started personal development by getting certifications with the intention to have tools to deal with my own trauma, anxiety and depression. My certifications include RYT-200 Yoga Instructor, Thai Yoga Massage Practitioner, Sound Healing, Reiki Master and Trauma Recovery Coach.

Trauma has plagued many areas of my life so my approach to healing is unique in that sessions are 1 on 1 and unique to the women she serves. Creating an unconventional safe space where women could come to let their shoulders down without shame, heal, be transparent, and grow. Whether it’s a reiki session, a retreat overseas, or the monthly goddess circles held in Maryland I show up and show out for our healing every time.

I graduated from Hampton University in 2009 with a BS in Marketing and have had several jobs, but nothing truly resonated with me like the holistic practices I’ve studied. Coming from a Corporate America background which was full of stress…practicing yoga changed my life tremendously. When I was laid off in 2018, I decided to further my studies and start my business catering to predominantly women. I intended to share healing modalities in a laid-back relatable way.

There, All is One Holistic, LLC, was born. It is the embodiment of my healing journey, and it is my purpose to share the love. Allison wants every woman to know that they are seen and never let life’s trial, disappointments, and obstacles keep her down. I am dedicated to my community’s betterment, and my business is built on 100% authenticity and PASSION.

Collette V. Smith is the Founder and President of Believe N You, Inc. and the NFL’s 1st African American Female Coach in the history of the National Football League, by way of being the 1st Female Coach in New York Jets franchise history, coaching the Defensive Backs during Training Camp in 2017.

Collette is also a newly published author of her debut children’s book, Collette’s Courage, the first installment in the Collette series, an empowering and inspirational story rooted in courage, confidence, and self-belief, created to uplift children, especially Black youth and Black girls to boldly pursue their dreams and know their worth, with two additional books in the Collette series coming soon.

Smith is a former Women’s Professional Football player, playing two positions as a Defensive Back and Special Teams on Kickoff, and later served as a Defensive Backs Coach and Director of Marketing, PR, Promotions, and Events for the New York Sharks women’s professional football team in two women’s professional football leagues: the WFA and the IWFL. She did not begin playing professional football until the age of 42. The New York Sharks won the National Championship in July of 2018 in Atlanta, GA.

Today, Collette is a social philanthropist and entrepreneur specializing in motivational and inspirational speaking engagements including commencement speeches. She has spoken at Fortune 100 companies, major corporations, and Ivy League institutions, including Columbia University and several other universities addressing the disparities women face in sports and championing the empowerment of Black youth, girls, and women to recognize their greatness and excellence through adversity.

Collette is a proud former student of Tuskegee University, a historic HBCU that helped shape her leadership, cultural pride, and unwavering belief in Black excellence. She proudly carries the legacy, discipline, and tradition of Tuskegee University into every space she enters and remains deeply connected to and supportive of the HBCU community.

Smith is an Ambassador for the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Up2Us Sports, the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Voss Foundation, and It’s A Penalty, a global organization dedicated to combating sex trafficking and human trafficking. As an Ambassador for “It’s A Penalty”, Smith has been actively involved in awareness campaigns featured during Super Bowl events; critical periods when trafficking activity increases and has participated alongside Super Bowl champion NFL players.

She is also prominently featured in the organization’s public service announcement campaign, which airs on all American Airlines flights in the months leading up to and following the Super Bowl. Additionally, she serves as an Official Wish Grantor for the Make-A-Wish Foundation; is a two-time Best Mentor Award recipient with Allan Houston’s Entrepreneurial Program for Urban Youth; and has received several NAACP honors, Citizen of the Year recognition, and multiple community service awards.

She is a true Change Agent and has dedicated her life to empowering youth, particularly girls and women to know that any and everything we desire is possible if we believe in ourselves. Her cultural and gender-specific loyalty is deeply important to her, and she emphasizes the importance of building positive self-esteem through team sports for at-risk teens and women in low-income, underserved, and marginalized communities.

She believes in Black Excellence and is committed to giving youth a fighting chance at winning by empowering them with the tools necessary to succeed both on and off the field. Her mission is to positively impact the development of our young sisters and brothers, who will and can become the strong, effective leaders of tomorrow.

Smith’s leadership, trailblazing impact, and legacy have been recognized with numerous prestigious honors. She received the Essence Black Women in Sports Leadership Award during Super Bowl Weekend in 2023; the National Women of the NAACP Barrier Breaker for Women Award; the Statewide Alabama NAACP 2023 Bridge Crossing Leadership Award; The Links, Incorporated Trailblazer Award; the RISE Tour Trailblazer Award; the Legacy Impact Award during Super Bowl 60; and numerous other notable awards and citations including Lifetime Achievement Awards honoring her historic contributions and service.

Smith was previously honored with the Humanitarian Award by Leigh Steinberg during Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles, California. She was the very first woman to ever receive this award from Steinberg, an honor that had never been awarded to any woman prior to Collette V. Smith, recognizing her as a true game changer, humanitarian, and trailblazer whose influence transcends sports.

She also received the Legacy Award and served as keynote speaker at the NAACP Legacy Gala; was a guest speaker for the National Action Network “House of Justice” Youth Huddle under the leadership of Al Sharpton; participated in summits hosted by the Rainbow PUSH Coalition founded by Jesse Jackson; and regularly visits Juvenile Detention Centers nationwide, using her own journey of “Hard Knocks to Triumphs” to restore hope, purpose, and possibility.

Smith was featured in a docu-series on the nationally acclaimed network BET and BETher for the show “Exceptional Black Women”, alongside MC Lyte, Maxine Waters, Meagan Good, and Terri J. Vaughn. She is currently in production for her own full-length documentary and is also working on two additional books, Unapologetically Collette… Stories from the NFL’s 1st African American Female Coach in History and Get Off The Bench.

Collette has been invited to Cameroon, Africa, Germany, and Turkey to coach girls and women in American football, conduct lectures, and lead roundtable forums on essential life skills, self-worth, and perseverance—expanding the global reach of Believe N You, Inc.

She served as Grand Marshal of the 50th Annual African American Day Parade in Harlem, NY in 2019 and has been honored by numerous organizations, including the Power of Influence Awards, Danny Glover’s Power of Dreams Award at the United Nations, and as the only woman to speak on the NFL Alumni “Chalk Talk” Panel during Super Bowl LIII and LIV.

In addition to this brief look into who Collette V. Smith is, she has been recognized for her outstanding accomplishments and contributions of distinguished women throughout the world and was bestowed by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated with one of the Sorority’s highest honors – Honorary Membership in her beloved Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

Collette has an audacious approach in taking on everything she encounters seriously, passionately and with great care and drive. Smith is a Champion at tackling non-traditional roles that Women play in the workforce and in life.